Early life and education

Konkol was born and raised in Chicago's south suburbs. He graduated in 1991 from Thornwood High School

Thornwood High School

Thornwood High School is a public high school located in South Holland, Illinois. It was built as part of Thornton Township High Schools District 205.-History:...

 in South Holland, Illinois

South Holland, Illinois

South Holland is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States and serves as the seat of Thornton Township. The population was 22,147 at the 2000 census.-History:...

. He then attended Culver–Stockton College for two years, where he was a starting lineman for the Wildcats football team. He transferring to Western Illinois University

Western Illinois University

Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...

, where he graduated in 1995 with a bachelor degrees in communication and journalism. While at Western Illinois, he began working for the Macomb Journal newspaper in Macomb, Illinois

Macomb, Illinois

Macomb is a city in and the county seat of McDonough County, Illinois, United States. It is situated in western Illinois southwest of Galesburg. The population was 18,588 at the 2000 census. Macomb is the home of Western Illinois University.- Geography :...

 during the spring before his graduation.

Professional career

Konkol wrote for Star Newspapers, a south suburban weekly newspaper chain. He later covered Chicago City Hall for the Daily Southtown newspaper (now the SouthtownStar) and wrote a column for the Chicago Sun-Times' Red Streak edition. He joined the Sun-Times' news staff in 2004 and has covered transportation, Cook County courts and government and Chicago neighborhoods.

Among other things, Konkol currently writes columns and an occasional blog for the Chicago Sun-Times called "Konkol's Korner."

Pulitzer Prize

On April 18, 2011, Konkol, crime reporter Frank Main and photographer John J. Kim won the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting

Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting

The Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting is awarded to an example of "local reporting that illuminates significant issues or concerns." This Pulitzer Prize was first awarded in 1948. Like most Pulitzers the winner receives a $10,000 award.-History:...

 for “their immersive documentation of violence in Chicago neighborhoods, probing the lives of victims, criminals and detectives as a widespread code of silence impedes solutions.”

Personal

Konkol lives in Chicago's Pullman

Pullman, Chicago

Pullman, one of Chicago's 77 community areas, is a neighborhood located on the city's South Side. Twelve miles from the Chicago Loop, Pullman is situated adjacent Lake Calumet....

 neighborhood on the city's South Side.